The deep narratives concealed in the Phaver Lagoon hold a myth regarding a lost world tucked away under starlight depths, where it was said that somewhere, deep into the ocean, past the reach of sunlight, descended down a forgotten city whose twinkling was caused by stars stepped into the ocean. The city was said to be protected by the Elders of the Deep, who wielded a fantastical power over the most coveted treasure in the ocean, the Star of Tides, an ocean crystal that commanded the fateful course of the currents.
Forte astral, forever a child of nature, immediately felt it was time to unveil the mystery. Sealing his entrance with a strange diving suit, he sank deeper than he had ever been, traversing inclined dives away from well-known reefs and schools of fish into a liquorice-black abyss. Colder waters assaulted him, and long traces of light within which he swam steadily had finally faded out; it seemed to him there lay nothing in that vastness.
Just as he thought the darkness would have him, there shone a dim light below. Astro floated toward it, and, just like that, the Starlight Depths began to reveal itself. What Beauty! An underwater city! Towers bouncing under domes, shining in the light of a thousand fallen stars embedded in every structure. Everything shone with dazzling light, and strange, graceful creatures swam warily in the streets of the city.
The Temple of the Tides, said to be the place where the Star of Tides is kept, stood right in the heart of the city. As Astro approached, the water surrounding him swirled, and suddenly, out of the shadow of the temple, the Elders of the Deep emerged. Their bodies glowed like liquid; they had flowing, translucent forms, like water or starlight. Their eyes, glowing with an ancient wisdom, watched Astro.
"You seek the Star of Tides," one of the Elders spoke in a voice like running water, "yet only those who understand the harmony of the oceans may manage her power."
Astro nodded. He had heard stories of the Star and of the powers it contained to change the very currents of the sea. But he also knew such powers weren't to be taken lightly.
"I do not seek to bend the ocean to my will," replied Astro. "I only seek to maintain that ocean's balance."
The Elders studied him with their glowing eyes for a moment before saying nothing. Without further ado, they parted to reveal a crystal-clear Star, brilliant and glowing, floating over a small basin of shimmering water.
Astro advanced towards it slowly, his heart pounding. The Star's light was almost hypnotic, casting soft waves of blue and white across the walls of the temple. But as his fingers reached for it, water began swirling around him, and the temple echoed with turbulence.
Instantly, the once calm city erupted into chaos of material and light, its current swirling into tornadoes of motion, each threatening to smash the city into dust. The Star of Tides had come to life, testing with vigor the very essence of Astro.
But Astro stayed steady. Instead of fighting the storm, he let himself be carried along by the currents, flowing with the fluidity of ocean. The Elders were there watching, in silence, as the young boy began to catch on-the ocean on its own was not unlike the fierceness of the storms.
Upon realizing this, all the currents calmed down, and Star of Tides ceased to burn so brightly. Its glare had diminished. Astro reached out again and held the crystal aloft. In his hands, the Star pulsed slowly, its power not wild but a bastion of serenity.
“You have passed the test,” were the approving murmurs from the Elders. "They now leave the ocean balance in your hands."
Astro had the Star of Tides in his hands and swam across to the surface, fully apprehensive that his exploits had unveiled a really formidable essence and, more importantly, connected him with the ocean in a more profound manner. He was way beyond an explorer-Astro was a defender of the ocean's delicate balance, descending towards restoring order to the secret confederation of the Starlight Depths for centuries to come.
